Guardian of Narnia
by OctoberOpal
Summary: Ever since the creation of Narnia, elves have been the protectors of the throne. But after the war with the White Witch and the hundred year winter, their numbers are dwindling. Yet one elven maiden still clings to the hope that the prophecy will come true, and when it does, she will protect the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve until her last breath.
1. Prologue The Beginning

***Deep breath...and out* Okay, let's try this again. I orignally posted the nearly two years ago. Got one chapter and then it died. Well, now it's up again and gonna start running as well. And my writing will be much better than it was then. I nearly cringed rereading it a bit ago.**

**Also the Elves in this story are not going to be like those in Middle Earth. They don't live forever, but their life is prolonged to about 300-400 years. Since Narnia is only around for a couple thousand years, it feels unfair and depressing for them to have to live through all of it. At least in my opinion, I don't know how you think.**

**But here we are.**** Guardian of Narnia**** redone.**

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><p><span><strong>Prologue<strong>

**The Beginning**

It all started with the song of the Great Aslan; his beautiful song that created the animals, the trees, the waters and the beings. From the mermaids and naiads of the waters, dryads of the wood, fauns, minotaurs, gryphons and centaurs, and dwarves and elves of the earth.

This land was christened Narnia, and Aslan gave the ruling to King Frank and Queen Helen. King Frank worried that he and his wife were not fit to rule as they were but simple country folk. But Aslan had great faith in them, for it was not in breeding or education that made for a great ruler, but kindness, wisdom and justice. Not only that, but courage as the Great Lion said, for war would be upon the new land and King Frank would have to face it head on.

But Aslan did not expect them to stand alone. For that was why he created the elves. Elves born of earth and tree and star, they would be the selfless protectors of all that is good and growing in the world. And the elves held to that purpose with genuine compassion.

King Frank and Queen Helen lived long and ruled well in peace and prosperity. War did come to them in time, and it was their Magesties's elven Champion, whom was named Lord Alaric among the elves, led their battles and claimed their victories.

But war was not their only concern. For high in the north lived the White Queen Jadis. In the beginning of Narnia, she declared that she would rule over the new world as Queen. But Aslan stated only a Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve could do so, which she was neither. But that did not discourage her. She would have all the time in the world, for she had eaten one of the magical apples and through it gained immortality. She would have forever and a day to bide her time and make her move on Narnia.

But bide her time she would have to do. On the command of Aslan, a young boy by the name of Digory Kirke took an apple, not for himself, but to plant within Narnia. The apple sprouted into a tree that would keep Narnia safe from evil for hundreds of years.

And so safe Narnia remained under the rule of King Frank and Queen Helen and under their son King Samuel, and their son King Devin. The land flourished under their care and were revered well and in kind by the beasts of speech who would always remember and honor their memory.

The elves always graciously served their rulers. Lord Alaric to King Frank and his son. Next would be the Lord's own son Ronan who served King Devin. And even as Devin left without an heir to the throne, the elves continued to watch over the land of their rulers and friends.

For a King and Queen will always have need of their Champion.


	2. Hope for the Hopless

**Here I am with my renewal of Guardian of Narnia. Hope you like it!**

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><p><strong>~~**I**~~<strong>

**Hope for the Hopeless**

Winter. Some say it is a sign that the earth is sleeping. As night comes and creatures fall to sleep, the world does the same during winter. And just as night falls to the dawn, winter opens up to the newness of spring. It is death and, in turn, rebirth. There is no life without death.

But what becomes of life when death holds it by the throat and refuses to let go? _It is not my time,_ life says, but death does not listen. It is a constant power struggle as life is unwilling to stand down but death will not falter. It had been that they were always in the most delicate balance, but now something gave death favor.

That's how the world seemed to be when the White Witch usurped Narnia. She cursed the land in an eternal winter that never gave way to spring. So it seemed the land was cursed with death constantly at its throat.

It is a harsh and bitter place to be in. The nights are long and cold and biting and the days are unyielding. The land begged for the rebirth that would never come and sank into death's cold hands. The season was hard on the Narnians; from the creatures of wood, air, and water, to the fauns and centaurs and the elves. They endured for a time, survived in their own way. But eventually so many lost hope and began to wither away like a candle with nothing left to burn.

~~**.**~~

Kaya watched as another one of her kin was placed within the bowls of the earth, dug beneath layers of snow until hard soil was finally found. He was fifteen years younger than she with fair hair that all the elves shared and cool green eyes. His pale skin was even whiter in death and slightly grey with the sickness that had claimed his life.

From beside Kaya, another elf wept. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched her brother sink into the earth. The same green eyes flowed with grief that she had been carrying since her brother fell ill to the winter sickness.

He was not the first elf to fall. While the winter was hard on all Narnians, elves took it the hardest. They were not adverse to the cold season, but they thrived best in summer when the world was at its fullest bloom. With so many years, decades, in the harsh winter, the elves began to fall in despair. They grew ill as they never had before, for elves were immune to disease even as they grew to their final years. The winter sickness first happened twenty years after the beginning of eternal winter, and it was Kaya's mother who first fell.

Kaya had been heartbroken. She had already lost her father and brother to the White Witch. And with her mother gone, she had no family left.

"How do you bear this?" the elf next to her, Liya, asked. "How do you carry on with this pain?"

Kaya clasped her hand. Yes, she understood that pain in full. Not a day went by that she did not think of her fallen family, taken from her after her second decade of life and again twenty years later. She had to carry that weight every day. But she would carry it. She would not let it pull her into the ground. And it was hard, very hard. But she could not give up on her hope. Her father taught her that by the time she was just a small elfling.

_Never give in, for even in the darkest of night, eventually the sun will rise._

"By keeping hope." Kaya told her.

"Hope abandoned us a long time ago." Liya sobbed.

Two years later, Kaya watched as Liya was buried underneath the snow.

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><p>Peter Pevensie watched mournfully as his mother bid him and his siblings goodbye. Just last week their house had been bombed from the air. Very little in it survived, including the portrait of dad that Edmund recklessly went back for. As much as he though his brother foolish, Peter couldn't help but be thankful that they still had it. Edmund now carried in his pack, as a reminder for all of them.<p>

"Why can't you come with us?" Lucy sobbed.

Mother knelt down and pulled her youngest to her. "I wish I could, my heart. But this is for you children. Us adults can take care of ourselves better knowing that you are safe and sound." she told her, stroking her hair soothingly.

She moved to hug all her children, saving Peter for last, "Take care of them." she whispered in his ear.

"I will, mum." He whispered back.

They boarded the train, Peter taking Lucy's hand as to not lose her. Lucy wanted to comfort anyhow as she did not slow her tears. After tearfully waving goodbye to their mother as the train left the station, Peter led his siblings to a compartment they could all share. The only one they could find was already occupied by two kids, a brother and sister, but there would still be enough room for them all to fit.

Edmund sat at the window, broodily looking out the window. Peter didn't fight him, they'd had enough of that during the week. Besides, he wasn't in the mood. Susan and Lucy sat next to him, Susan's arm around their younger sister's shoulder. None of them spoke much, not even to the brother and sister who sat with them.

It wasn't that long before they reached the country sides where they would be living while they waited out the war. The Pevensies watched the brother and sister on the platform, having their tags checked with lazy interest by strangers who led them off. Would that be them next? It was unlikely that their new caretakers would abuse them or be neglectful, but they were strangers.

At least they had each other.

When they reached the country side estate of Professor Kirke, they stared in awe at the vastness of the grounds. The place was huge. Plenty of places to play ball and run through the trees, collecting acorns and apples. Mrs. Macready was quite a strict housekeeper, but her rules mostly applied to _inside_ the house.

Lucy was still melancholy as she lay in bed at night. Peter looked out the window and thought of dad out fighting in the war. At home, no one dared to speak it aloud, but no doubt they all thought of it: if they would see him alive again. There was a chance since he wasn't sent to the front lines, but it was war. Casualties were a given. Not only at the front, but at home as well. Hopefully both their parents would return to them and they could be a family again.

"The sheets are scratchy." Lucy mumbled.

Susan and Peter both turned to her. "Wars don't last forever, Lucy." Susan told her. "We'll be home soon."

"Yeah, if home's still there." Edmund scoffed, coming in the room after using the water closet.

Susan shook her head at him, exasperated "Shouldn't you be in bed?" She scolded.

"Yes, mum." Edmund mocked.

"Ed!" Peter snapped. His littler brother got on his nerves every time. He promised his mother that he would look after them, _all of them,_ but with Edmund he wanted to strangle him sometimes. He was just so hard to deal with sometimes, especially after dad left. Hopefully after this was over things could be back to the peace they once shared.

He turned back to Lucy. "You saw outside. This place is huge and we can do whatever we want." he said to her. Well, not _whatever_ they wanted but pretty close. "Tomorrow's going to be great, I promise."

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><p>Kaya walked through the snow, her boots not even making the slightest crunch on the surface. She couldn't afford to make any noise, especially this far in the north east. The White Witches spies were everywhere and the Witch herself would love to see Kaya dead, or turned to stone. But it had been a while since someone did patrolling to the Western Woods and the Lantern Wastes. It would also be nice to see Tumnus and the Beavers. It's been a little over a year since she saw them.<p>

She came upon the lamp post first, laying a hand on it. Since the beginning of Narnia, it has always been alight. Four little fires burned, casting a yellow glow on the snow surrounding it. It was said to come from a realm away from Narnia, in the place from where King Frank and Queen Helen had come from. No one could name the place, but indeed the lamp post was magical. It had been there since the dawn of time and from then until now it still burned, always. It never needed anyone to watch or stoke it like most fires. It simply burned and burned and burned.

Kaya basked in its small warmth for a precious minute before heading to Tumnus's.

She reached his dwelling with no incident and knocked quietly on his door. "Tumnus, it is Kaya." she said quietly.

The door opened to reveal the faun without his bright red scarf around his neck. "Lady Kaya." he greeted moving out of the doorway to allow her in. "Please come in."

Kaya entered the home, immediately feeling the warmth of the hearth fire. She also took in the small of honey cakes. "It is good to see you again, my friend." she told him.

"It has been a while." Tumnus agreed. "I hear about Yseult. I am sorry."

Kaya nodded. "As am I." Another one of her kin had fallen just five months ago. It had been ten years since Liya died and during that time and now, three more elves were buried. They were growing so few in number. There was less than a hundred now. "I've not been around in a while, nor has any of us for that matter. The Western Woods should not be so neglected."

"Don't worry so much." Tumnus told her, setting down a plate of tea and the honey cakes he just finished baking on the table. "Nothing's changed around here, I assure you."

"Are you trying to take over my duties?" she joked, removing her grey cloak and sitting opposite him in front of the fire.

Tumnus laughed. "I could never be a match for your perseverance."

Kaya smiled ruefully. "Your perseverance is stronger than some others." she said. She looked at Tumnus and his slightly fallen face. "I am sorry. I did not mean to enter your home and burden you with my melancholy."

"It's alright." Tumnus said, pouring the tea and adding cream. "It's in your nature to worry. It always has been."

Kaya laughed airily, taking a sip of her tea. Nice and sweet, just they way she liked it. Tumnus too. And he was right, she was a worrier. She had people to look after, and they were dying. This eternal winter was boring down on them harder and harder. One hundred years was a long time to settle in winter.

Ten years ago, when Liya said that hope had abandoned them long ago, Kaya felt an ache in her chest. She almost wanted to agree with her. But she couldn't. She had to hope, to keep faith that things would change for the better no matter how long she had to wait. She could not begin questioning it or she risked losing it. So she clung to with with every waking breath.

The snow of Narnia would melt, and it was unlikely that the snow would ever be enjoyed as it once was.

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><p><em>Tomorrow's going to be great. <em>Peter had said. What he didn't count on was the rain. It was summer and yet it rained. Lucy could hardly see the grounds through the window she sat at. It had been raining since they awoke for breakfast this morning.

And Susan decided they would have a word game from the old dictionary she fished from the desk in the sitting room.

"Come on, Peter, _gastrovascular._" Susan said.

Peter groaned slightly, thinking. "Is it Latin?" he asked.

Susan looked down to the dictionary. "Yes." she answered.

Edmund sat up from underneath the chair he fiddled with in complete boredom. "Is it Latin for 'worst game ever invented'?"

Susan scowled, slamming the dictionary shut. It was thick. Thick enough to conk someone on the head if Susan was angry enough. But luckily she wasn't the violent type. Peter had to agree with Edmund, only slightly. The game was tediously boring. Only Susan could think of a game that had something to do with academics.

"We could play hide-and-seek?" Lucy asked, coming down from her perch at the window.

"But we're already having so much fun." Peter said to her flatly. His sarcastic tone was not lost on Susan who let out a huff.

"Come on Peter, please." Lucy pleaded, leaning her head on the chair arm. She gave him her best doe-eyes. "Pretty please?"

_How can I say no to that face? _Peter thought, a smile forming on his lips. "One, two, three," he counted. To which Lucy broke out a grin and sped away. Edmund scoffed but left the room as well. Susan followed after.

Lucy raced through the house. This place was enormous. There were plenty of places to hide, but she needed to find one that was just right. She checked several of the doors, but they were locked. She wanted to hide behind one of the curtains, but Edmund pushed her aside and took it instead.

"_Eighty eight, Eighty nine, Ninety._" She heard Peter count. The next door thankfully opened and she stepped inside.

The room was entirely empty save for a white sheet covering...something at the far end of the room. Lucy crossed the room and pulled off the sheet. It was a wardrobe, made of medium brown wood. There were carvings of trees and a rising sun as well as a sitting king and queen at the bottom on either side. It was beautiful. And the perfect hiding place.

She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, only leaving a little crack open. She pushed backward through the thick coats, back and back until it was dark and only the light from the open door could be seen.

A prick at Lucy's hand made her flinch and turn around behind her. Instead of seeing the flat back of wood that made the wardrobe, she saw thickets of trees covered in white snow. She looked around in awe. How could it be snowing? It was _summer!_ But more importantly, _I'm in a _wardrobe! She lifted her hand and the snow fell gently into her palm and she blew it out of her hand to make a gale-like whisk.

Turning to make sure she could still see the coats in the wardrobe, Lucy entered further into the wood. A yellow glow cut through the whiteness of the snow, coming from an iron lamp post in the middle of a small clearing. She approached the lamp post, a grin growing on her face. If only her siblings could be here, then they would have an all out snow fight war. But their absence was hardly going to stop her as she began to kick up snow and grasp it in her hands to toss it up in the air. She loved the sparkle as the sun hit it.

She was so caught up in her play that she did not hear the crunch of feet in the snow until she was grabbed from behind. She was barely able to let out a scream when a hand was clasped over her mouth and soon replaced by a gag. Her hands were bound behind her back and she was pushed to the ground, only to be lifted like a jump rope between two pairs of hands gripping at her shoulders and legs. They didn't bind her legs, but they didn't need to as who gripped her was quite strong. She looked up to see a little man with a scruffy brown beard and dark, beady eyes waddling in the snow as he carried her legs. Lucy tried screaming again, but the gag at her mouth muffled the sound. She then began crying, what was going to happen to her? Would her siblings ever find her in the wardrobe?

The little men ignored her quiet sobs and continued to drag her through the forest. They weren't very tall, maybe up to Lucy's collarbone, and they held her close to the ground, her back brushing against the snow. She didn't know how long they carried her and she didn't listen to their gruff jeers of the little men as they went along. She merely hoped that someone, _anyone, _would find her soon.

There was a cry and an _oomph_ and Lucy landed back first in the snow, her legs still gripped by the other little man. But he didn't hold onto them, instead he dropped them soon after and looked around at the trees. A thud sounded and the little man fell to the ground with an arrow lodged in his chest. Lucy let out a whimper. Now she was surrounded by two dead little men and she was probably next.

"It's alright, little one, you're in no danger from me." A beautiful, feminine voice said from behind her as gentle hands went to where hers were behind her back. The slightest brush of steel sounded against her hand and with a swipe, Lucy's arms were unbound. Before she could get to them herself, the hands went to where the gag was tied behind her head and that came loose as well.

Lucy turned around to thank her savior. She was the most beautiful woman Lucy had ever seen. Her skin was the color of porcelain, just like a doll and perfectly unmarked. Her eyes were a warm gold and her hair was a mix between gold and silver that hung perfectly straight. She had a heart-shaped face with a sharp nose, chin and eye brows. Her lips, colored in the palest red, formed a smile at her.

Without thinking, Lucy threw her arms around the woman. She was just kidnapped. She had been so scared and the sobs came again. The woman wrapped her arms around Lucy in turn, rubbing her back and murmuring to her in a smooth, calming voice. When Lucy calmed down, she backed away from the woman.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Thanks to you I am." Lucy answered. "What's your name?"

"My name is Kaya." she answered. "And what about you?"

"I'm Lucy Pevensie." she told her, holding out her hand for the woman to shake.

Kaya looked at her hand curiously, as if unsure of what to do with it. Her perfect brows knitted together in confusion.

"Oh, you shake it." Lucy explained.

"Okay." Kaya said uncertainly, taking Lucy's fingers and wiggling them. Lucy reached for Kaya's hand and waved them up and down for a proper handshake. Soon the handshake became a hand-dance as their linked hands waved back and forth, up and down and even in a snake-like wiggle. They both laughed before releasing each other's hand.

"Now, Miss Lucy, let's get you by a nice fire with some tea and cakes." Kaya said.

"That would be lovely.' Lucy said. After being kidnapped, tea was most welcomed.

Kaya rose to her feet. "Then we shall go to Tumnus's house. He is nearest here and a good friend of mine." She held her hand out for Lucy to take. Lucy clasped it in hers and they walked together through the wood. Lucy didn't look back to the little men with arrows sticking from them.

~~**.**~~

It did not take them that long for the two to get to Mr. Tumnus's house. Kaya knocked on the door three times. "Tumnus. It's Kaya and I have a guest with me." she said.

The door opened and out stepped a man. He did not have a jacket, or even a shirt on. His chest was bare until the waist where thick curls of fur grew like an animal. And his feet, they weren't feet at all but hooves, like a horse. Just what was Tumnus?

Lucy, realizing she was staring, blinked hard and put on a pleasant smile for Tumnus - whatever he was - and made a light curtsy. Tumnus didn't move. He stared at Lucy just as she had probably done at him.

"We were hoping to have tea with you, Tumnus." Kaya said. That seemed to wake him from his reverie.

"Of course." Tumnus stepped aside and gestured for them to enter.

Lucy didn't realize how cold she was until she stepped inside. Kaya had pulled off her cloak and placed it on Lucy's shoulders and while the garment did keep the chill off, it felt good to have warm air on her face.

"I hope we did not come at a bad time." Kaya said to Tumnus.

"Of course not." Tumnus said. "In fact, the water in the kettle should still be perfectly warm and I still have cakes baked from just this morning." His face turned eager as he made his way to his food storage, but then he turned back as he passed Lucy. "But first," he said, "I must introduce myself to a new friend. I am Tumnus."

"Lucy Pevensie." she greeted, holding out her hand just as before.

"What is that for?" Tumnus asked, looking at her hand. What was it with these two that they didn't know what a handshake was? Lucy wondered. It was common etiquette in England, but neither of them seemed to be familiar with it.

"It's called a handshake." Kaya answered for Lucy, her voice slightly giddy. "It's fun, let her show you."

Tumnus held out his hand for Lucy to shake and just like with Kaya, Tumnus laughed as it the handshake was the oddest thing ever.

"Have you never done a handshake before?" Lucy asked as they all sat down with their tea. It was sweeter than anything she'd ever tasted without being overpowering. Hot, but not scalding, with a refreshing crisp like mint.

"It's not a tradition practiced in Narnia." Kaya said. "Though, I do not know about overseas."

"Narnia?" Lucy inquired. She never heard of Narnia before, and she would have remembered the name in the lovely way it sounded on her mouth.

Tumnus's eyebrows knitted together. "That is where you are." he told her.

"But this is a wardrobe." Lucy stammered. Kaya and Tumnus looked to each other with confused looks on their faces. "In the spare room," Lucy continued, "of the professor's..." she drifted to a stop. But this wasn't possible. She couldn't be _in a wardrobe._ This place was too big. And... "Who was it who tried to kidnap me?"

They looked to each other again, their faces grave now. Kaya sighed lightly and turned back to Lucy to explain. "You know that it is winter right now Lucy." Kaya said, she nodded. "It has been winter for a long time here."

"Winter isn't all bad." Lucy told her. "There's ice skating, snow ball fights and Christmas."

Kaya shook her head. "This winter has lasted for one hundred years. No spring and no Christmas since the White Witch cursed the land in a never-ending winter."

"No Christmas for a hundred years?" Lucy exclaimed. "That's awful. And by this White Witch?"

"It was her followers, the Black Dwarves, who kidnapped you." Kaya explained.

"What about you?" Lucy asked. "Do you work for the White Witch?"

"No, Kaya and I and many others oppose the Witch's rule." Tumnus said. "Though there are those that continue to side with her."

Kaya placed a hand over hers. "You are in no danger from either of us Lucy."

"But why would they want to kidnap _me?_" Lucy asked.

"Because you are human." Kaya answered.

"But so are you." Lucy replied.

Kaya shook her head. "I may look like you, but there are some key differences." With that, she pushed back her hair behind her ear, where they actually had a sharp point at the top along with nearly non-existent lobes. "I am an elf."

Lucy's jaw dropped slightly. Now it became more clear. Kaya was too beautiful to be human. Her eyes were keen like a cat's and her cheeks high without looking gaunt, and her lips were perfectly colored without the use of cosmetics. Not only that, but she seemed to glow.

The three of them finished their cakes with light conversation until the sun began setting and Lucy insisted she must get back before her siblings worried about her. Kaya and Tumnus both escorted Lucy back to the lamp post where she then made her way back to the spare room.

~~**.**~~

Kaya watched as Lucy made her way through the wood. Tumnus did the same beside her. Earlier she had heard a short cry coming from the lantern waste, but never in one hundred long years did she expect to find a Daughter of Eve.

A shiver passed through her. It felt like the meeting of an old friend after many, many years. It was not a bad feeling.

"I can't believe it." Tumnus said next to her. "A Daughter of Eve. Do you know what this means?"

She did. And it was music to her soul. "That hope has finally bloomed in Narnia."

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><p><strong>Reviews would be loved!<strong>


	3. Just a Dream?

**Thank you sarahwood and Ec1aire for reviewing.**

**Thank you Maddell, TimeLordCompanion, ChocolateIcicle, and Ec1aire for favoring/following.**

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><p><strong>~~**II**~~<strong>

**Just a Dream?**

Lucy tumbled out of the wardrobe. She'd been gone for _hours._ Now doubt her siblings combed the whole house in search for her, maybe even the Professor and Mrs. Marcready.

"It's alright!" Lucy cried, throwing open the spare room door. "I'm back. I'm alright!"

Edmund popped out of his hiding spot...behind the curtain. "Shut up! He's coming!"

Wait, what? She was gone for...maybe and hour or two_._ The game should have been over. They should have still been looking for her. And why was Edmund still hiding behind the curtain?

Peter entered the hallway and spotted them. "You know, I don't think the two of you have got the right idea about this game."

"Weren't you wondering where I was?" Lucy asked.

"That's the point." Edmund said, exasperated. "That's why he was seeking you."

Susan came into the hallway, looking quite pleased with herself. "Does this mean I win?" she joked.

"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore." Peter told her, as if Lucy wasn't right in front of him.

"But...I've been gone for hours." Lucy said, confused. If it weren't for her stomach being full of cakes and the taste of Mr Tumnus's tea still in her mouth, she might have believed it just a dream. But it wasn't...couldn't be.

Her siblings all gave her an odd look. So she decided to show them the wardrobe. They went into the spare room and Lucy told them about the land, Narnia, within the wardrobe. Susan opened the wardrobe and looked for herself. She came out but still had the look on her face.

"The only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe, Lucy." she told her.

"One game at a time, Lu." Peter added. "We all don't have your imagination." He, Susan and Edmund turned to walk away.

"But I wasn't imagining!" Lucy cried.

"That's enough, Lucy." Susan scolded gently.

"I wouldn't lie about this!" she cried.

"Well, I believe you." Edmund said. He did? Peter and Susan looked at him too. "Didn't I tell you about the football field in the bathroom cupboards?"

Lucy's face fell. Her brother didn't believe, he just wanted to make fun of her.

"Oh, would you stop it." Peter groaned. "You just have to make everything worse, don't you?"

"It was just a joke." Edmund mumbled.

"Isn't it about time you grew up?" Peter told him. But that was the wrong thing to say. Because it made Edmund snap.

"Shut up!" Edmund snapped. "You think you're dad, but you're not!" With that, he stormed out of the room. Susan after him.

Peter pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Oh, he shouldn't have said that. He _should not_ have said that. But Ed was being a child, egging Lucy on and turning into a mean joke. Lucy was only nine, so it was still a bit understandable, but not for Edmund. He needed to learn to grow up.

"But...it really was there." Lucy mumbled from behind him.

Peter turned to his baby sister. She always had the biggest imagination; of knights and fairies and gnomes, and talking animals. Now it was of a faun and a beautiful elf woman who rescued her. She was getting a bit old for that now. She needed to start growing up too. But Peter couldn't be as hard on her like with Ed. "Susan's right, Lucy." Peter told her gently. "That's enough." He turned and left the room.

Lucy was crestfallen as she watched her big brother leave. They didn't believe her, she was just a little kid with a big imagination in their eyes. But...Narnia was really there. Kaya and Mr. Tumnus were real. She'd been kidnapped by dwarves and saved by a beautiful elf woman and fed tea and cakes by a faun. There was the lamp post and a wood full of snow.

It was real. Lucy did not believe otherwise.

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><p>Kaya had work to do. Lucy coming to Narnia was a sign. A sign that spring would come and drive out the winter. A sign that the kings and queens of Adam's flesh and bone would sit upon the throne of Cair Paravel and bring a reign of peace.<p>

She knew this, because Lucy said she had older brothers and a sister. They would be the four kings and queens of Narnia.

Kaya had to alert the others.

But first, Kaya needed to bury the bodies of the dead dwarves before the Witch new her henchmen were dead. Better simply missing than dead in a place where they could find. If the Witch could find where and how her lackeys were dead, then she would begin to deduce. So with the help of Tumnus, the two of them buried the two dwarves.

"I must head south." Kaya said when they were back at Tumnus's house. "They must be told. It may take a while before they all arrive here, but we must be prepared."

And Tumnus didn't miss her unspoken meaning. "I'll keep an eye out for them from here."

"I trust you, but just in case, I'll tell Beaver and Badger." Kaya said. Tumnus nodded his understanding and Kaya went off.

She found Beaver with Badger...again. "Don't worry, my friend." she told him calmly in Badger's dwelling. "I'll not tell the Missus. But I have more important matters and I must have your complete confidence." She told them of Lucy's arrival this morning and how the dwarves nearly had her.

"A Daughter of Eve, here?" Badger exclaimed. Kaya nodded.

"Tumnus is on the watch for her, but I do not trust the trees in this area." Kaya told them. "I will feel more at ease knowing that more than one pair of eyes are watching."

"And her name is Lucy Pevensie?" Beaver said.

"Yes." Kaya confirmed, at the moment wondering what could be something for Beaver to be known to her as an ally. "Use this if you see her to make known your allegiance." Kaya pulled off the necklace from around her neck. It was on an adjustable strand of mermaid hair with the charm of a heart and twisting vines to make a tree. Its style was made with no visible beginning or end within it. Lucy had taken note of it while at Tumnus's. She would recognize it.

With a farewell to Beaver and Badger, Kaya took off toward the south. At a hard run, she should make it within a week.

Warm hope fill her chest. The kings and queens were to arrive. Hope will blossom in Narnia. And she would not have to bury her kin beneath cold, unyielding snow again. With that thought coursing through her, Kaya pushed on harder.

* * *

><p>Lucy couldn't sleep that night. The weight of her siblings' words and the gnawing doubt about Narnia pulled at her thoughts. Narnia was real. It <em>was.<em>

Climbing out of bed - careful not to wake Susan next to her - Lucy pulled on her boots, tugged on her robe and grabbed the candle at her bedside, making her way to the wardrobe in the spare room.

She padded silently into the room, looking at the tall wardrobe, the sheet still on the floor. Lucy stopped in front of the wardrobe. What if it didn't let her in? What if all she got was the back of the wardrobe? She would never see Mr. Tumnus or Kaya again. Taking a moment to steel her resolve, Lucy opened the door.

A breath of cold air hit her and lew out the candle in her hand. _It is real. _Lucy grinned and stepped in the wardrobe again, closing the door behind her.

She headed for Mr. Tumnus's house, remembering the walk back from this morning. She was extra careful to keep an eye and ear out for anyone who might follow her.

Luckily she made it to the door without incident and knocked three times. "Mr. Tumnus, it's Lucy."

The door opened to the faun, a smile on his face as he eagerly stepped inside to let her in. "How have you been?" Mr. Tumnus asked.

Lucy's smile fell a bit. "Well...I...was great...but..."

Mr. Tumnus's expression hardened. "Has something happened?"

"Well, I left here and it seemed that even though I spent hours here, no time passed back home." Lucy told him. "I wanted to tell my brothers and sister about you and perhaps have them come meet you, but they didn't believe me. They couldn't even get here through the wardrobe...and I worried that I couldn't get back either."

Mr. Tumnus listened to her patiently, although her using "back home" and "through the wardrobe" did confuse him. When she visited last time - nearly two weeks ago - Lucy told him and Kaya of how she entered Narnia and it took a few times for the two of them to somewhat understand it. He worried at the other three not being able to enter Narnia...that could become a problem. But he let it pass for now. Lucy worried that she wouldn't get back here, but she did.

"Where's Kaya?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, she had errands to run." Tumnus answered._ She doesn't need to be told the details, _Tumnus thought. "She should be back soon."

"Should I wait?" Lucy asked.

Tumnus laughed. "Not that soon."

They talked for a little while longer, until Lucy deemed it was time to leave. Tumnus wanted to escort her out, but Lucy insisted she would be fine.

An odd sound came to Lucy's ears as she stilled and listened. Thankfully it seemed as though no one was coming for her and it grew quieter and quieter. She rounded the tree to see Edmund standing in the snow.

"Edmund!"

He turned, a confused look on his face. But that didn't matter much to Lucy. He didn't believe her at first, but at least now he had proof. They could even tell Susan and Peter together. Then Narnia would be believed in.

"Oh, Edmund, you got here too! Isn't it wonderful?" she asked, hugging him.

Edmund pushed her back. "Where've you been?" he asked.

"With Mr. Tumnus." Lucy answered. "He's fine. The White Witch doesn't know anything about him meeting me. Kaya wasn't there, but she should be fine too."

"The White Witch?" Edmund inquired.

Lucy looked around to make sure that no one was around. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia." she whispered. "But she really isn't." Edmund's face fell at that and he seemed a little pale. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You look awful."

"Well what do you expect?" Edmund snapped. "It's freezing. How do we get out of here?"

Lucy took his hand. "Follow me."

* * *

><p>Peter was woken up by Lucy's loud voice, her turning on the light and jumping on the bed.<p>

"Peter! Peter wake up. It's there! It's really there!"

Peter rolled over, squinting his eyes at the light. So Lucy didn't exactly jump on the bed, but it seemed that she was about to. "Lucy, what are you talking about?" he rasped, still groggy from sleep.

"Narnia!" Lucy cried. "It's all in the wardrobe like I told you!"

The glare was gone from Peter's eyes as he saw Susan come in the room and Edmund stand before his bed.

"You've just been dreaming, Lucy." Susan told her.

"But I haven't!" Lucy countered. "I saw Mr. Tumnus again. And this time, Edmund went too."

Peter and Susan both looked to Edmund, who looked like he just got caught stealing from the cookie jar. "You saw the faun?" Peter said.

Edmund shook his head.

"Well..." Lucy murmured. "He didn't actually go there _with_ me. He..." she turned to him. "What _were_ you doing Edmund?"

Edmund smirked slightly, shaking his head. "I was just playing along." he said. "I'm sorry Peter. I shouldn't have encouraged her. But you know what little children are like these days. They just don't know when to stop pretending."

Lucy ran out of the room, sobbing.

Peter groaned. He grabbed his robe and followed her out, shoving Edmund down onto his bed for good measure. He was such an immature child at the best of times. A wet blanket on others.

He and Susan followed Lucy into the hallway, where they found her clinging to the Professor. They'd met him when he came out for dinner. Peter and he shared some talks during the meal and found the Professor to be both well learned and a bit erratic at times. He was definitely less strict than Mrs. Macready. He even allowed them an extra couple bites of cake for dessert.

But know the Professor was quite stunned to have Lucy clinging to him, crying. Oh, they were going to be in trouble.

"You children are one shenanigan short of sleeping in the stable!" Yes, definitely in trouble as Mrs. Macready came stomping into the hallway. But she stopped short at seeing the Professor. "Professor? I'm so sorry." she told him. "I told them that you were not to be disturbed."

"It's alright, Mrs. Macready." Professor Kirke told her. "No harm done. But I think this one is in need of a little hot chocolate." she gestured to Lucy, gently untangling her arms from around him and turning her toward Mrs. Macready. The housekeeper lost her more stern face and led Lucy down to the kitchens.

So they weren't in trouble. Peter let out a sigh and he took Susan's arm, quietly leading her away. A cough from the Professor stopped them. They were still in trouble.

"Follow me." Professor Kirke said, shortly.

Peter and Susan followed him into his study and waited tensely as the Professor filled his pipe with tobacco. "You seem to have upset the very delicate internal balance of my housekeeper." he said.

"We're very sorry, sir." Peter said, grabbing Susan's leave and making to pull her out of the room. "It won't happen again."

But Susan didn't follow. "It's our sister, sir, Lucy. She's upset."

"Hence the weeping." the Professor replied.

"It's nothing." Peter said, trying to get Susan out. This was their business. They didn't need the Professor worrying that Lucy was an over-imaginative child at her age. "We'll handle it."

"She thinks she's found a magical land in the upstairs wardrobe." Susan told him. Oh, now she's done it. Peter groaned silently.

That seemed to perk the Professor's interest, but not in the way they thought. He stood up from his chair and rounded the desk to face them. "What was it like?" he asked.

"Like talking to a lunatic." Susan bemoaned.

"Not her, the forest." Professor Kirke replied.

Wait, what? "You're not saying you believe her?" Peter asked. Professor Kirke was a grown man, he couldn't believe in the fairy tales of a nine year old. Unless he was just as crazy.

"And you don't?" he replied surprised.

"Well, of course not." Susan blurted. "I mean, logically it's impossible."

"What do they teach in schools these days?" the Professor muttered, shaking his head. "But again, what was the forest like?"

"I don't remember well." Peter said, shaking his head. "I just know that she said an elf woman saved her from dwarves and they went to a faun's house where they had tea and cakes. It was snowing."

The Professor nodded slightly, as if analyzing the information.

Peter and Susan looked at each other, identical looks of confusion on their faces. Were they really just finding out that the Professor was a lunatic as well. He did live in the country side with no wife or children of his own. So...quite possibly. This was going to be a long stay.

* * *

><p>It took Kaya seven days to reach the valley over looking Cair Paraval and the elven wood that stood just north west of it. It had been twenty years since Kaya stepped foot in that place. After the passing of her mother, it was hard not coming to tears every time she entered the place. But now she had incentive, now she had a real reason to hope.<p>

Lord Nimorn was there to greet her. "It has been a long time since you have been here, child."

"Indeed it has, my lord." Kaya answered with a bow of her head. "But I come bearing good news." She told him of Lucy coming to Narnia and that she and her siblings were bound to be the ones to break the cursed winter.

"Has the witch found out about her?" Lord Nimorn asked.

Kaya shook her head. "Dwarves tried to kidnap her but I killed them before they could make it known. They are buried now and most the trees still slumber. That and I have Tumnus, Beaver and Badger on watch for them."

"This is good." Lord Nimorn nodded. "We will spread the word and wait for Aslan."

"I will head back north, my lord." Kaya said, making her leave.

"Kaya."

She turned back to Lord Nimorn.

"Are you sure you will not stay? They need you. We need you." he said.

"I cannot, my lord." she answered.

"You know you need not call me such." Lord Nimorn replied. "I knew your father well and hoped to lead with his example since you were too young and untried. But with your brother gone, you are his sole heir. As the descendant of Lord Alaric, it is to you whom I should call my Lady."

Her father, Lord Valek, the great-great-great grandson of Lord Alaric was a good leader to the elves. Kaya looked up to him, adored him, but he was gone. That and her brother, Leano, was groomed to be his heir. Kaya had no quarrel with that as she loved her brother and he knew how to be a leader. Kaya did not. She couldn't take that place. She didn't deserve it.

"I take my leave now." Kaya said with a curt bow.

Lord Nimorn watched mournfully as she did.


End file.
